2013 Chevrolet Sonic RS – Project Sonic Boom

They say don’t judge a book by its cover. , although i’m not surprised After all, you’re employed to seeing the likes of Nissan,Mitsubishi and Mazda, and Honda project cars on these pages. But a Chevy? Don’t be so quick to dismiss it. Yes, it’s not your typical Modified Mag build, but that’s what makes it special although I know you already have.

The excitement and challenge of creating on a platform that isn’t very popular makes this project one that I am hoping you’ll follow along closely. Why? You’re going to see what it takes to create this little hatchback in a decent track car that can still be civil enough for everyday use because.

It’s by no means likely to be easy; there aren’t exactly scores of modified Sonics kicking around i can look to for inspiration. Instead, I am hoping we’ll end up being the ones doing the inspiring and demonstrating that no matter what platform, you could build that it isto begin with. The RS moniker in the Sonic lineup means it arrives with a host of options that the regular models don’t get. You will find the aesthetics that add much needed aggressiveness to the body lines, nevertheless the stuff that really matters can be a 6-speed manual with shorter gear ratios, lower and stiffer suspension, rear disc brakes, and 17-inch wheels. I also quite like the RS interior, which adds a flat-bottom, thick-rimmed steering wheel and very sporty-looking RS badged seats. They could use a bit more bolstering, but that’s why we’re here.

This car is going to find some good serious upgrades in areas that have been deemed to need improvement. Things like the infotainment system won’t get touched because, frankly, it’s as good as it gets.

I’ve had a chance to stretch the legs on this little hot hatch at the track, and as mentioned, it’s actually a decent package from the factory. Kudos to Chevy because of not just sticking RS badging on it and faking the funk. To acquire some higher caliber performance, almost all the major components about this car will probably be modified, so you can expect to see a lot of parts being fitted to it in an exceedingly short amount of time.and also as of this writing, I have two very short months to perform this build. I bet you’re doing the work again, judging. I know a great deal of SEMA cars end up not running and instead just look the part, but my goal is to ensure this Sonic is functional and can be driven straight back to Los Angeles, then head to the track and compete in our Super Lap Battle Finals.

I want to promise that as much as I have to target completing this car for SEMA, the priority is to make it into something legit and real. The last thing I want can be a car that appears good but performs poorly. This is Modified Mag after all, and if there’s one thing we do right here, it’s going fast.

Without giving away a lot of spoilers, expect to see some pretty cool parts on this car in the next upcoming issues. We’ve got big brakes from Brembo to make certain fade-free reliability and serious stopping power. A wicked combination of street and track tires and wheels will probably be fitted while many serious massaging of the fenders may happen to handle all that extra rubber. Inside, seats from Recaro using a one-off rollbar and Takata harnesses will assure the driver carries a proper office to work in. The engine will get a surge in power. It’s a 1.4L turbo, so the goal is not to visit overboard and then make it unreliable. Instead, we’ll stick with some key upgrades to ensure reliability while increasing forward velocity.

Get ready because this project is going to go from -60 within the blink of an eye. Expect to see both the ups and downs of a fast build of this kind, but feel comfortable-it’s going to be a fun and challenging ride.